He was the youngest bowler in the finals, his nickname is "Diaper" and he exhibited childlike enthusiasm.

As one might guess, Sean Rash didn't act his age in the Earl Anthony Medford Classic Sunday.

He acted much older.

The 24-year-old showed the moxie of a veteran in defeating defending champion Brian Himmler, 262-190, for the title of the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association Tour event at Lava Lanes.

Himmler was in catch-up mode from the get-go. He opened in the second frame and spared in the third while Rash was making more strikes than an oil digger, filling the first eight frames and never really sensing trouble.

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The only thing in trouble when Rash takes the lanes, it seems, is the record book.

The Wichita, Kan., product became only the second player in PBA history to capture crowns in his first three championship-round appearances. The other was Hugh Miller, who did it four times.

Last year, Rash became the only non-exempt player in history to win a title, and he added to his cache last month by capturing the Beltway Classic in Baltimore.

With two victories this season, he's tied with Norm Duke for the tour lead.

In the semifinals, Himmler downed season points leader Wes Malott, 209-183. Rash followed with a 232-227 triumph over Patrick Healey Jr.

Having to face the previous year's winner in Himmler, who was decked out in his usual all-black garb, didn't figure to be an easy proposition.

"When you're the defending champion, you're definitely the fan favorite," said Rash, who garnered $25,000 and a Rolex watch for the victory. "Defending a title is hard to do. It doesn't happen very often."

But if Rash experienced any stress over the task, it didn't show.

He flashed big smiles after a couple of balls came in high but still struck.

When he stopped himself just before delivering a shot, thereby exceeding the time limit and incurring a fine, he said, mostly to the fans behind him and with a sly grin, "I know, I know, $100."

And during TV breaks, he joined in the fan fun, one time raising his hand to answer a trivia question and another time pointing excitedly and exclaiming, "That's you! That's you!" when center owner Ric Donnelly was shown on TV.

"Every time on the show, it's different," said Rash, who is 6-0 in TV matches. "I just try to do my best, have fun and run with it."

Run with it he did — away from Himmler.

Himmler left the 8-10 split in the second frame, then the man they call "Chief" needed a scout to come across and take out the 10 pin in the third and didn't get it, settling for a spare.

"I didn't throw the ball like I wanted to in the second frame and got a bad break on it," said Himmler, who was trying to become the first bowler in six years to win for a second time here. "Then Sean got about three good breaks in a row to go up 40 on me."

Himmler wasn't dead in the water, however. He struck in the fourth and fifth frames and could have struck out for a 258. But a nine-spare in the sixth did him in.

Rash was already in a comfort zone.

"I had a little confidence, a little momentum," he said. "When you're ahead, you don't squeeze it as much or think about it too much. When he got that ringing 10 in the sixth and I had the front seven, it got me pretty comfortable."

By the time he left the 2-8-10 and opened in the ninth, the game had been decided.

In the 10th, said Himmler, "He just needed me not to tackle him."

At that point, Himmler, a right-hander, joined in the fun. He told the fans they were about to see the worst left-handed bowler ever, then tried to pick up a split with his off hand in the 10th. He lost it in the gutter.

Moments later, as Rash made his approach on his final ball, Himmler mischievously dropped a ball behind the soon-to-be winner, creating a loud crash and leading to a seven count for Rash.

Both players grinned and hugged as it ended.

"Sean's a great guy and we have a lot of fun," said Himmler, who earned $13,000. "We hate each other for about 10 minutes during a match, but that's it."

The victory puts Rash squarely in the hunt for player of the year.

He rattled off achievements by the other contenders, then allowed, "I have some stats as well, with money and average and things, but as far as player of the year, there are eight more tournaments and three majors. Anything can happen. It's nice to hear people say something like that, but you can't think about it until the end of the year."

In the semifinal against Healey, who was seeking his first win since 2003, Rash trailed 167-153 in the seventh frame and had to make a critical save, picking up the 4-9 split in the fifth, to stay that close.

Healey struck in five of the first six frames, then had spares in the seventh and eighth frames to let Rash back in. Rash strung together three strikes to take control.

In the other semifinal, Malott made his tour-high fifth finals but fell behind when Himmler began the match with three straight strikes. Splits that led to opens in the fourth and fifth frames created a deficit Malott didn't recover from.

Championship Round

SCORES — In the first match, Himmler def. Malott, 209-183; in the second match, Rash defeated Healey, 232-227; and in the final, Rash def. Himmler, 262-190.

Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail ttrower@mailtribune.com